Blitz Games Studios Limited was a British video game developer based in Leamington Spa. Founded in 1990 by the Oliver Twins, who ran the company until its closure in 2013, it is best known for producing licensed games for properties such as The Fairly OddParents, Bratz, SpongeBob SquarePants, and The Biggest Loser, as well as entries in the Karaoke Revolution series. The company was initially named Dizzy Enterprises, then Interactive Studios, until it was finally changed to Blitz Games in 2000, as the company believed the Interactive Studios name was too generic.
Divisions Blitz Games Blitz Games (originally Interactive Studios until 2000) created the games that the company first became well known for: family titles, often licensed on popular characters and existing intellectual property.
Blitz Arcade Blitz Arcade was founded in 2006 with a team of 35 people. It was focused on developing downloadable titles of a small scope. Its first release was an advergame series created for the US Burger King chain. After that, Blitz Arcade turned its focus to downloadable titles and had success with its first game of this type: SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam. They also developed shooter PowerUp Forever, puzzler Droplitz and the 3DTV-compatible beat 'em up Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao.
Volatile Games Volatile Games was responsible for the company's mature games. The division dates from 2005. The company and the division ended in 2013.
Video games created by this division include Reservoir Dogs, runner-up in the 2006 BAFTA awards for Best Soundtrack. Despite allowing the player to complete the game without firing a single shot, the game was considered so realistic in its depictions of violence that it was banned in Australia. They released Dead to Rights: Retribution on 27 April 2010. A proposed game, Possession, was put on hold in 2007.
TruSim TruSim was the serious games division. The idea was to bring commitment to training through video games. It is best known for its work on medical-related training programs including the award-winning Interactive Trauma Trainer.
BlitzTech BlitzTech created and licensed the game development engine and toolchain.
Earlier divisions
Virtual Experience Company Past projects include the Tintern Abbey virtual tour. The company was acquired by Blitz Games at the end of 2006 but was sold back to former owner Mike Gogan in May 2009.
Blitz 1UP In 2008 Blitz Games Studios launched the Blitz1UP programme to help independent developers bring their games to market. The programme provided free help and advice on all aspects of game production as well as crowd sourced QA. The programme was closed in 2011 and was replaced by IndieCity, an online indie game marketplace.
Games Games created or published by Interactive Studios/Blitz Games Studios include: Title Year Platform(s) Publisher(s)As Interactive Studios Firo & Klawd 1996 PlayStation, Windows, MS-DOS BMG Interactive WarGames: Defcon 1 1998 PlayStation, Windows MGM Interactive, Electronic Arts Glover Nintendo 64, PlayStation, Windows Hasbro Interactive Action Man: Mission Xtreme 1999 PlayStationAs Blitz Games The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea 2000 PlayStation THQ, Sony Computer Entertainment Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge PlayStation, Dreamcast, Windows Hasbro Interactive Chicken Run PlayStation, Dreamcast, Windows, Game Boy Color Eidos Interactive Action Man: Destruction X PlayStation The 3DO Company 2001 Windows Infogrames The Mummy Returns PlayStation 2 Universal Interactive Studios Cubix - Robots for Everyone: Race 'N Robots PlayStation, Game Boy Color The 3DO Company Fuzion Frenzy Xbox Microsoft Game Studios Cubix - Robots for Everyone: Clash 'N Bash 2002 Game Boy Advance The 3DO Company Lilo & Stitch: Trouble in Paradise PlayStation, Windows Sony Computer Entertainment, Disney Interactive Taz: Wanted PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Windows Infogrames Zapper: One Wicked Cricket Cubix Robots for Everyone: Showdown 2003 PlayStation 2, GameCube The 3DO Company The Fairly OddParents: Breakin' Da Rules PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube THQ Barbie Horse Adventures: Wild Horse Rescue PlayStation 2, Xbox Vivendi Universal Games Bad Boys: Miami Takedown 2004 PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Windows Empire Interactive, Crave Entertainment The Fairly OddParents: Shadow Showdown PlayStation 2, GameCube THQ Bratz: Rock Angelz 2005 THQ Pac-Man World 3 PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Windows, PlayStation Portable Namco Hometek, Electronic Arts Reservoir Dogs 2006 PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows Eidos Interactive Bratz: Forever Diamondz PlayStation 2, GameCube THQ SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab PlayStation 2, Wii, GameCube Sneak King Xbox, Xbox 360 King Games PocketBike Racer Big Bumpin' Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol 2007 PlayStation 2 Konami Bratz: The Movie PlayStation 2, Wii THQ SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam Xbox 360 Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore 2008 PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii Konami Project Aftermath Windows Blitz 1UP Tak and the Guardians of Gross PlayStation 2, Wii THQ Bratz: Girlz Really Rock Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Make the Grade Xbox 360 Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore 2 PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii Konami Buccaneer: The Pursuit of Infamy Windows Blitz Arcade PowerUp Forever PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Namco Bandai Games Droplitz 2009 PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, iOS Atlus USA Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Namco Bandai Games KrissX Windows, Mac Blitz Arcade iCarly Wii Activision Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Game Time Xbox 360 THQ Karaoke Revolution PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii Konami The Biggest Loser Wii THQ Fluttabyes 2010 Windows Blitz 1UP Clover: A Curious Tale Xbox 360, Windows Blitz Arcade Mole Control Windows Blitz 1UP All Star Karate Wii THQ Dead to Rights: Retribution PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Namco Bandai Games The Biggest Loser Challenge Wii THQ The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout Xbox 360 SFG Soccer: Football Fever Windows Blitz 1UP Droplitz Delight iOS, Android GameHouse Your Doodles Are Bugged! 2011 Windows Blitz 1UP Yoostar 2 PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, Mac Yoostar Entertainment Group Fantastic Pets Xbox 360 THQ SpongeBob's Surf & Skate Roadtrip Michael Phelps: Push the Limit 505 Games Puss in Boots PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii THQ Kumo Lumo 2012 iOS Chillingo Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Windows, PlayStation Vita Disney Interactive Studios Paper Titans 2013 iOS Blitz Games Shrek Alarm
Awards 2007 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2007 - Favourite Videogame – SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab Edge award for Training and Development of young people ICT Excellence in Skills Blitz Games wins Develop Industry Excellence Award for Business Development Cannes Titanium Grand Prix Award for the Burger King games Golden Clio Award for Burger King games
2006 Blitz Games CEO Philip Oliver named Best Industry Player by TIGA Warwickshire Employer of Choice Awards 2006 for creating an exceptional working environment .
Closure On 12 September 2013, the company announced that it was closing after 23 years of business. The closure came as a result of the company struggling to raise money to support future development projects, with the demise of THQ, a major client, said by Philip Oliver to have hit the company particularly hard. The company is reported to have owed £2.2 million to staff and creditors.
The Oliver brothers along with the former company's COO Richard Smithies almost immediately formed a new company, Radiant Worlds, in the same town, and were reported to have recruited up to 50 former Blitz staff.
References
External links Official website